“I don’t know, but I want in. Personally, I think it’s a great idea. Just don’t know what she’ll say. Maybe if we stick together, she’ll accept our help without taking it as charity and be grateful for the kids’ sake.”
“Okay, partner, you’re on. We’ll follow through later. Right now, we should head for the hospital.”
***
They made their way in the same rental car Colin had been in when he drove past the scene earlier. As he’d explained, hearing the screams had forced him to stop, though many others had kept driving. Jaqueline took a small writing pad from her handbag and together they made a list of what they could purchase and deliver to the family before the end of the day.
Like a dog with a favorite toy, Jaqueline kept coming back to the insistence that the kids needed some kind of Christmas. “The least we can do is get them a small tree and decorate it, bring some presents and-and ornaments to cheer up the house.”
“Okay. I’m all in.” Colin chuckled at her obvious happiness with his decision, and Jaqueline caught the difference immediately. His earlier attitude struck her as a man with little humor, an intellect who could be boring. That had been her first impression of him. But now she saw his good looks, taking the time to appreciate his dark brown eyes and short haircut that kept the mass of brown curls controlled.
Seeing his questioning gaze, she turned away without speaking. The man leaked a sexy vibe that had been missed because of the circumstances. Sneaking another peek, Jaq found herself searching for a wedding ring. Happily, she found only a signet ring, and not on his left hand.
Biting the bullet, she did something that shyness would normally stop her from doing. She asked a personal question to be sure her assessment of his marital status had been correct. “So… how many kids do you have to buy presents for?”
Again, Colin chuckled before answering. “Who me? None. Not married. In fact, my former fiancé of seven years is marryinga colleague later today. One of the reasons I decided to have a holiday away from home. He happens to be a close friend – used to be a close friend. Rather than being forced to go to the wedding, I opted to be away. Best for all of us. Figured with me gone, they could have all the other staff there with no discomfort.”
“I’m sorry.” Though she meant it, Jaqueline found herself wondering if she’d have been quite so compliant.
“I’m not. Sorry I mean. At first I suffered a lot of emotions until I realized most were anger… not hurt. That’s when I accepted what she’d been trying to tell me for the last year. I wasn’t nearly as invested in our relationship as a man in love would have been.”
“Still, hurt feelings, anger, betrayal, none of that can be easy. You have my sincere sympathy. May the nitwit trip on her wedding gown while walking up the aisle.”
When Colin burst out laughing, Jaq hid her blushes. The only other person who’d ever been subject to her rather weirdly acidic sense of humor was her grandmother who thought her the best thing since sliced bread.
By then, they’d made their way into the parking lot. Soon, Colin led them through the hospital’s emergency ward to the nurses station where they made enquiries for the Tremblay family. Only to find that it had been Gisele who they’d admitted. Both children were free to leave.
Chapter Three
What a way to start the day that Colin dreaded. Amanda and Harry’s wedding day. He remembered how they’d approached him – hand in hand, both looking decidedly uncomfortable – wanting to share the news of their betrayal.
Colin’s unusually tight schedule over the last months had kept him from seeing their underhanded transgressions being carried out right under his nose. Therefore, he’d tortured himself many times about not cluing in to what had been obvious. Remembering his naive innocence made the banked anger he’d managed to control for months wake up and take hold.
How the hell had he been so oblivious… so caught up that he hadn’t been aware? Or followed up on Amanda’s sudden personality change from petulant whining for attention to sudden understanding about his absent role?
Sure, he’d been busier than usual, helping some of his more talented students with their year end work, and yes, he’d been involved with the faculty to the exclusion of most anything else,but weren’t fiancées supposed to be supportive at times like these? Not MIA.
With his mind seeped in the past, he drove up an older street. Slowing for a turn, hysterical screams cut into his memories, and he stopped immediately on the side of the road. Seeing the trauma, heartbeats ramping up, he rushed from behind the wheel, slid to a stop beside the hysterical woman, and like the screamer, began wildly digging into the snow, frantic to uncover the children that she seemed to know had been buried.
“I saw children get buried under here. Two little ones. Quick. We have to dig them out or they’ll suffocate.”
Not stopping for questions, he tensed when he saw the material from a sleeve and understood instantly what it came from. Using brute strength, he dug at the place where he sensed the child’s face might be. God must have been watchful, because in seconds, he had the boy’s upper body freed from the snow. Knowing exactly what needed to be done, he began life-saving steps to get the child back.
It didn’t take long before he felt air rush into the small, lifeless body, making the poor kid choke, crying with panic from the experience he’d gone through. Supporting the slim body, Colin rubbed his back, all the while reassuring him. “It’s okay now. You’re fine, son. Breathe slowly. That’s right. Big slow breaths… in and out. Yes. Good boy. Don’t cry. Everything is going to be okay.”
Suddenly, the boy seemed to realize the little girl beside them wasn’t breathing. He thrust himself away from Colin and toward the woman helping the child. Seeing his frantic expression, Colin tried reassuring him… stopping his struggles. “It’s okay. Look, the lady who found her is helping her to breathe. You must wait and let her try.”
But the boy would have none of it. “She’s my sister.” Pulling away from Colin’s hands, he scrambled closer to the woman who still fought to save the little girl’s life and screamed, “Maisie.”
Like a miracle, they all watched as the little girl reacted. She fought to breathe. One could see it happening in front of their eyes. Her chest swelled from her efforts, her eyes flew open, and then her breath burst free. Colin couldn’t help speaking, his voice cracking from the upswell of emotions. “Look, she’s coming back. She’s breathing again. See, she heard you, son. It’s going to be alright. Maisie heard you calling her.”
And forevermore, Colin totally believed that the demanding love in her brother’s voice had brought about the miracle. Before he could think on it further, the frantic mother arrived on the scene, as did others seeing the commotion.
The rest of their activities blurred until he found himself with the woman called Jaqueline as they searched Gisele’s house. Maybe it was the sudden lack of chaos, but he felt like himself again. The introvert in control with a clear head and a purpose.
Looking around, he remembered other people back home who suffered the same kind of poverty, and it was never pretty. Families struggled all the time, but when two adults had each other to cling to during their battles, success came easier… shared suffering seemed less stressful. His heart started to ache at the thought of what poor Gisle must be going through alone.
Covering his distress, he acted cool and calm, his usual front to the world. But when he saw how the day’s tragedies affected Jaqueline, that trait changed. Surprisingly, he felt comfortable enough to reveal his true feelings. He had to help. No question. But it must be done in a sensible way that most benefitted the family. Not fixating on inconsequential stuff like Christmas, his thoughts dwelled on the more serious aspects of life like food, money… and security.
